We get straight to the point: clubs that cling to daft traditions and weird etiquette are driving youngsters and new players away, and if we don’t modernise our marketing, booking systems and clubhouse experience the game’s in trouble. I bring on my good mate Colin Gray — steeped in golf from his dad’s work, gone cold on the game for twenty years and then lured back — and we riff on his return, the joy of getting your handicap down and the weird stuff that puts people off joining clubs. We talk honestly about tech and simple fixes (better tee-booking, nine‑hole options, TrackMan/Sim bays and dynamic pricing), why the top clubs have the confidence to make bold decisions, and why mid‑tier clubs often get stuck paying the bills instead of innovating. Col and I also share the practical stuff that helped us — pre‑shot routines, “caddying” for yourself, a towel under the armpits to stay connected, using data from sims and the Garmin R10 and actually testing shafts properly — and how those small changes shave off the wild shots. It’s a chat that’s as much about saving local golf as it is about enjoying it, with loads of laughs, a bit of ranting and proper, useful takeaways for anyone getting back into the game. Check out Colin’s show Both Sides of Par if you want more of his perspective — he’s calm, collected and annoyingly good at staying on point. Colin and I have been mates for a long time, so this felt less like an interview and more like a pint-and-a-chat about how someone can fall out of love with golf and then, weirdly, fall back in better than ever. He grew up steeped in golf—dad a greenkeeper, a course built in Dumfries—then rebelled at 18, went to uni and didn’t touch a club for about twenty years. The nudge back came from mates and a mad annual trip they call the British Invitational: top courses, top craic, and Colin decided he didn’t want to look like an absolute tit. From being a 18–20 handicap teenager to creeping back in at 23 and then clawing his way down to low teens, he talks honestly about the erratic nature of being an adult golfer—great shots one round, absolute carnage the next—and how the real wins were mental not technical. We get deep into the mental stuff: the yips on the tee, the pressure of finishing comps, and how a pre-shot routine and “caddying for yourself” changed everything. Colin walked us through picking a target, picturing the shot, committing, and how that focus strips away the what-ifs. He also details the practical wins—driver fitting (extra-stiff, shorter shaft), consistent practice, and playing more competitive golf—and how those tiny shifts moved his handicap. It’s a proper, warm, human story: someone rediscovering joy, being a bit of a bandit at times, and ultimately learning to enjoy the game without being its hostage. Takeaways: I reckon golf clubs that cling to daft rules like no hats in the clubhouse are actively putting people off, and that is bollocks.We learned you must decide if a club is for golfers or a community hub — you can't have a foot in both camps and expect growth.I found a simple mental routine — literally caddying for myself and committing to a pre‑shot script — transformed my tee confidence and scores.We use data and affordable tech like Garmin R10, GS Pro, ShotScope and AI (Claude/ChatGPT) to analyse hundreds of shots, pick the right shaft, and actually measure real improvement.I love the towel‑under‑the‑armpits drill; it forced me to stay connected, turn my body properly, and instantly add distance and consistency.We argued that many mid‑tier clubs are run by well-meaning volunteers who aren't marketers, so hiring pro help and designing experiences matters more than stubborn tradition.I care about juniors sticking with it — a welcoming clubhouse and no entitlement from some members is crucial if we want the game to grow.We also flagged practical fixes: dynamic tee booking, genuine nine‑hole slots and adding sims/TrackMan experiences can increase member value without wrecking people's rounds. Links referenced in this episode: discounts.nop.golfvoicemail.nop.golf A North of Par Production
